Computer and video games have matured from the likes of “Pong” into epic adventures having rich storylines, photorealistic graphics, and complex interaction systems, thereby allowing a player to immerse herself in the alternative reality that is emulated by the video game. The term video or computer game typically refers to any game played on a data processing device. Examples of video games may include computer games, game console games (e.g., playable on the XBOX®, PLAYSTATION®, and/or NINTENDO® brand game consoles), coin-operated or token-operated arcade games, portable gaming device games (e.g., playable on the Nokia N-GAGE®, PLAYSTATION PORTABLE®, NINTENDO DS®, Gizmondo, mobile phone, etc.), or other software-driven games. A video or computer game may refer to any software driven application that provides a graphically depicted virtual environment, and having one or more objectives that one or more characters attempt to complete within the virtual environment under a set of predetermined constraints or rules. Each character controlled by a player/user may be referred to as a player-character (PC); each computer controlled character may be referred to as a non-player-character (NPC).
Video games can be divided into many genres, such as first-person shooters (FPS), role-playing games (RPG), simulation, sports, strategy, action and driving, to name a few. Each video game is not necessarily limited to a single genre, and may indeed encompass multiple genres. For example, an RPG generally refers to a game in which each participant assumes the role of a character in the game (such as a soldier, adventurer, monster, or other player-character) that can interact within the game's virtual world. RPGs are generally presented in third person perspective, i.e., the display screen provides a viewpoint as if the player is observing/interacting with the game from a point other than the player character's viewpoint. However, some RPGs are presented in first-person perspective.
Another genre of video games is referred to as the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. The display screen for FPS games typically provides a first person point of view, e.g., as if the player is viewing the video game's virtual world through the eyes of the character the player is controlling. Popular FPS games include the HALO®, DOOM®, QUAKE®, DUKE NUKEM™, and Half-Life® franchises. FPS games are very popular, in part because they are particularly well suited to multiplayer game play. In multiplayer play, each participant controls a player-character within the virtual environment, and the participants either work alone or in teams to complete their objective(s) for a particular game. Multiplayer FPS games may provide different objectives in various game modes, thus providing a variety of game play types to participants. Some known multiplayer game modes include every-man-for-himself, every-team-for-himself, capture the flag, assault, and king of the hill. Every-man-for-himself format, referred to in the HALO® franchise as Slayer mode, and referred to in the QUAKE® franchise as Deathmatch mode, refers to a multiplayer game where each participant tries to kill all other participants in the graphically simulated virtual environment, e.g., within a specific period of time, a specific number of times, etc. Every-team-for-itself refers to a multiplayer game where groups of participants attempt to kill competing groups of participants in the graphically simulated virtual environment. In capture the flag, the video game simulates a flag in the virtual environment, and teams compete to capture the flag from an initial position and return the flag to a home base of the capturing team. In the assault game mode, teams attempt to penetrate a home base of competing teams and plant a bomb or flag in the competing team's base. Finally, in king of the hill, players or teams attempt to control a specific location for a preset period of time. The first player or team to control the specific location for that preset period of time wins. Each of the above game modes may have various modifications and settings that can be customized from one game to the next.
Regardless of the game mode players naturally progress in skill, some faster than others, and certain players become very skilled at particular FPS games and game types. Other less-skilled players subsequently might have a difficult time developing skills as a result of being easily beaten by the more skilled players. While some games may provide post-game summary statistics, e.g., number of kills, number of times killed, special accomplishments, etc., games do not presently provide sufficient post-game analysis of how players accomplish feats, thereby giving less skilled players an opportunity to research tactics of more advanced players. Thus, it would be an advance in the art to provide a post-game analysis of how players accomplished one or more objectives, including where players were located to accomplish objectives, routes taken steal the flag or plant the bomb, and similar strategic information.